


Victory!

by sir_coriander_cadaverish



Category: Nimona (Webcomic)
Genre: Gay Dads AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:20:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23551447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sir_coriander_cadaverish/pseuds/sir_coriander_cadaverish
Summary: (Gay Dads AU) Ballister wins the lawsuit against the lab corporation that refused to hire him due to his disability.
Relationships: Ballister Blackheart & Nimona, Ballister Blackheart/Ambrosius Goldenloin
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	Victory!

**Author's Note:**

> One particularly delightful detail about the Gay Dads AU, which was provided to us by our goddess Noelle Stevenson, is the bit about Ballister filing a lawsuit against a discriminatory lab company - and winning. This Is a little fic I wrote about that moment, because the mental image of it was really sweet.
> 
> (let's not talk about the fact that I named the lawyer Attorney Gurney okay,,, I wrote this 2 years ago)

"...And it is with my whole heart that I hereby grant Blackheart and his associates five hundred thousand dollars, with which he may independently fund any scientific project he desires. Case closed." The judge struck the gavel with finality, prompting the courtroom to erupt with applause. Ballister's heart leapt into his throat. _We did it,_ he thought, disbelieving. _We won!_ Beaming, he stood to shake hands with Att. Gurney, who yanked him into a warm embrace. "We did it, kid," Gurney said in Ballister's ear in his deep, triumphant voice. "We showed those fuckers who the real scientist is around here." Ballister was breathless with relief. "Thank you," was all he could say over the near-deafening applause. "Thank you so, so much."

\---

The silence in the waiting room was tight with apprehension. The minutes were beginning to melt into hours, and the trio had tried to find temporary means by which they could keep themselves distracted in the big, empty courthouse hall. 

At a nearby oak table, Dr. Blitzmeyer was reading three-year-old Nimona an ABCs book in hushed tones. Ambrosius, having already given up on the dusty pamphlet he'd started reading, was not nearly as relaxed. Feeling almost unbearably uncomfortable in his pointed dress shoes, he shifted around anxiously in one of the hallway's velvety chairs. His leg persistently jiggled up and down as he worried. The last thing he wanted, Ambrosius decided, was for Ballister to ever have to abandon his dreams. Being forced to give up the lab would be a crushing blow. 

It would break his heart, he thought.

In desperate need of a distraction, he turned to face the others, asking Dr. Blitzmeyer good-naturedly, "How's the alphabet coming along? She learning anything?" Dr. Blitzmeyer smiled proudly. "She sure is," she said, "Aren't you, Nim? Tell me: what letter comes after R?" Nimona pondered this for a moment, her little pink lips scrunching to one side of her face. Then her eyes lit up. "S!" she exclaimed, gleefully hissing the "s" sound, like a snake. "Excellent!" Dr. Blitzmeyer cried, giving her a high five. Ambrosius grinned at the both of them; Nimona was way ahead of her age group, and Dr. Blitzmeyer was clearly enjoying herself. "Keep up the good work, you two!" he told them. Suddenly, with an ancient-sounding _crack_ , the massive oak door to the courtroom swung open. Ambrosius whipped around, holding his breath. Out strode Ballister, who wore a blank, almost stony expression. He stood beside the thick wood table, leaned slightly against it with his briefcase, and took a deep breath.

Breaking the silence, Ambrosius asked tentatively, "Did you...?" There was a long pause. Then, an uncontrollable grin spread across Ballister's face, and he nodded.

The next few moments were a blur; Dr. Blitzmeyer squealed and picked Nimona up (who, confused but delighted, also started squealing) and spun her around, as Ambrosius ran to his husband and wrapped him into a long, tight hug. "You did it, babe," he whispered, squeezing Ballister tighter, "You fucking _did it!"_ Ballister felt tears prick his eyes for the first time and he quickly blinked them away. "No, hon," he replied with tenderness, " _We_ did it." Ambrosius briefly pulled away to give him an affectionate kiss.

When things had calmed down a bit, and a tousled and weary-looking Ballister was seated in the velvet chair to Ambrosius' left, Dr. Blitzmeyer asked the golden question. "So... How much is the grant?" Ballister cleared his throat. "Um, half a million," he told them after a brief hesitation. Ambrosius' eyebrows shot up; Dr. Blitzmeyer gasped. "But that's - that's like _double_ of what you asked for!" Ballister nodded, smiling. "The judge really didn't like the discrimination coming from the other side," he explained, "And she was actually rather angry with the opposing attorney at some points." Incredulous, Ambrosius blurted out, "Well, she should've been! You were clearly in the right!" The others nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, Nimona had clambered up onto Ballister's lap and silently pulled his arms around her. Now, she suddenly lifted her ginger head out of the embrace. "Appa," she asked softly, "Is half a million a lot?" 

"Yas, sweetie, it's a whole lot of money," Ballister told her gently. Her emerald eyes widened, intrigued. "What're you gonna _do_ with all that money?" she asked keenly. Ballister grinned. "Well, I suppose I'll get to do a lot more of those fun science projects," he said, "And sometimes, if Daddy over there lets you" - Ambrosius laughed sheepishly - "you can help me out!" At this, Nimona cracked a smile. "That sounds exciting," she said decidedly. Ballister pulled her back into a hug. "You bet it does."

**Author's Note:**

> Side note: since Ballister is at least partially Asian in this AU as well (and from what Noelle has said, I'd guess Korean), my headcanon is that Nimona calls her parents "Daddy" in English and "Appa" ("Daddy" in Korean) to tell them apart. I just think it's cute lol


End file.
